Licensed Child Care CentresRegion of Peel Public Health & Early Years and Child Care Services

Last updated: June 2020

Module 3

General Sanitary Precautions & Physical Distancing MeasuresCOVID-19 Enhanced Health and Safety Protocols

What will be covered?

• Overview

• Policy

• Procedures

• Physical Distancing Measures

• Additional Resources

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Overview

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• Every child care operator must ensure that there are written policies and procedures outlining their health and safety protocols.

• Operators must train staff and share with parents the policies and procedures regarding health and safety protocols to COVID-19.

• Operators may want to consider providing links to helpful information, as well as detailed instructions regarding screening and outbreak management protocols.

Policy

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• All child care centres must be thoroughly cleaned prior to re-opening their operations.

• Operators must maintain routine infection prevention and control practices and adhere to additional sanitary precautions and physical distancing measures in all aspects of care to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

• Operators must communicate the requirements under this policy to any third-party vendors contracted for cleaning services at the centre.

ProceduresThe COVID-19 Enhanced Health and Safety Protocols for Licensed Child Care Centres and the Ministry’s Guidance document describe procedures for the following:

❑ Hand Washing❑ Gloves, Masks and Eye Protection❑ Cleaning and Disinfecting❑ Toys and Equipment❑ Equipment Used for Nap/Sleep Time❑ Meal Times❑ Interactions with Infants/Toddlers ❑ Additional Infection Control Practices

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Printable posters to support these practices are available through Peel Public Health

Hand Washing

• Perform and promote frequent, proper hand hygiene.

• Staff should supervise hand washing and assist children.

• Hand washing using soap and water is recommended over alcohol-based hand rub for children.

• Staff must ensure hand washing supplies are well stocked at sinks and in washrooms.

• Hand sanitizer (containing at least 60% alcohol) must be supplied when hand washing is not possible:

❑ Hand sanitizer should only be used on children over the age of two and under staff supervision.

❑ Staff must ensure that the product has completely evaporated from the child’s hands.

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Types of Masks

Medical Masks• N95 Respirator

o wearer must be fit tested, used in healthcare settingo not required in child care

• Surgical/Procedure Maskso often blue coloured masko commonly seen in doctor and dentist clinicso required in child careo single-use

Non-medical Masks• Cloth Mask

o Homemade masks o Re-usable

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“My mask protects you, your mask protects me”

Medical Surgical/Procedure Mask

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“My mask protects you, your mask protects me”

Non-Medical Cloth Mask

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“My mask protects you, your mask protects me”

Masks, Eye Protection & Gloves

• Staff must wear surgical/procedural masks and eye protection (face shield, goggles or safety glasses) when:

1. Conducting active screening at screening station2. Cleaning and disinfecting blood or bodily fluids spills if risk

of splashing (gloves should also be worn)3. Caring for a sick child (gloves should also be worn)

• Masks should not be placed on children under age 2 or on anyone who has trouble breathing, is unconscious, or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.

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“My mask protects you, your mask protects me”

Masks and Gloves

• Staff must wear either a surgical mask or cloth mask when physical distancing cannot be maintained including, but not limited to:

❑ Staff who become ill until they leave centre❑ Providing direct care (e.g. diapering, feeding,

handwashing)❑ Holding or carrying a child❑ Assisting a child with dressing

• Hand hygiene must be performed before putting on and after taking off a mask or gloves.

• Public Health Ontario resources are provided to demonstrate proper use of masks and gloves.

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Cleaning and Disinfecting

• Frequently touched surfaces should be cleaned and disinfected at least twice a day as they are most likely to become contaminated.

• Only use disinfecting solutions made with household bleach or disinfectants with a Drug Identification Number (DIN). Low-level hospital grade disinfectants may be used. Check expiry dates.

• Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

• It is recommended that centres set a schedule and develop a cleaning and disinfecting log to track and demonstrate cleaning.

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Clean frequently touched surfaces at least twice per day

Adjust your cleaning schedule to follow

new Guidelines

See link for schedule: www.peelregion.ca/health/infectioncontrol/pdf/ENV-

0274.pdf

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Disinfection Solution Procedure

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This poster is found in the

Guideline document

Toys and Equipment• Centres are encouraged to provide toys and equipment which

are made of materials that can be cleaned and disinfected (e.g., avoid plush toys).

• Mouthed toys should be cleaned and disinfected immediately after the child is finished using it.

• Where toys and equipment are shared, they should be cleaned and disinfected prior to sharing between cohorts.

• If sensory materials (e.g., playdough, water, sand, etc.) are offered, they should be provided for single use (i.e. available to the child for the day) and on an individual basis.

• Use of outdoor programming is encourage for physical distancing. All equipment must be cleaned and disinfected between cohorts.

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Equipment Used for Nap/Sleep Time

• Children must have an individual cot or crib assigned to them; sharing is not allowed.

• Increase the distance between cots and cribs or place children head to toe or toe to toe if the space is limited.

• Cots and cribs must be cleaned and disinfected daily.

• Sheets and blankets must be cleaned weekly or more frequently as needed, individually labelled and not shared.

• Families can bring their own blankets but they must be laundered prior to use, if possible at centre. Items must be laundered weekly or more frequently as needed.

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Meal Times

• Centres should adapt meal practices to ensure there is no “family style” self-serve or sharing of food at meal times:

❑ Utensils should be used to serve food❑ Meals should be served in individual portions to children by staff

• Reinforce messages with children not to share food, drinks, feeding utensils, bottles, sippy cups, etc.

• There should be no food provided by family (except where required).

• Children should neither prepare nor provide food that will be shared with others.

• Ensure proper hand hygiene is practiced when staff are preparing food and for all individuals before and after eating.

• Where possible, children should practice physical distancing while eating.

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Interactions with Infants/Toddlers

• Staff should continue to supervise and hold bottles for infants not yet able to hold their own bottle to reduce the risk of choking.

• When holding infants and toddlers staff should place blankets or cloths over clothing and change the blankets or cloths between children.

• Avoid getting close to faces of all children, where possible.

• If using cribs, these should be placed using physical distancing to increase space between them.

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Additional Infection Control Practices

• Low-touch surfaces must be cleaned and disinfected daily (i.e. window ledges, doors, sides of furnishings, etc.).

• Keep garbage in waterproof containers lined with plastic bags and dispose daily. Blood-soiled items must be discarded in sealed bags.

• Ensure washrooms are frequently cleaned and disinfected.

• Carpets are to be vacuumed daily.

• Toothbrushes, bottles and pacifiers must be individually labelled and stored separately.

• For creams and lotions during diapering, staff must never put hands directly into lotion or cream bottles.

• Children should provide own sunscreen and should not be shared. Staff may help to apply it, exercising proper hand hygiene.

• Personal belongings (e.g., backpack, clothing, etc.) should be minimized, but if brought should be labeled and kept in child’s cubby/designated area.

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Physical Distancing Measures

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Centres must put children and staff in cohorts/groups of 10 or less at any given time to manage physical distancing and limit number of people in close contact.

❑ Each cohort must stay together throughout the day and are not permitted to mix with other cohorts.

❑ Maintain physical distancing of at least 2 meters (6 feet) or more between staff, parents or children.

Ways to Support Physical Distancing:

❑ Stagger arrival, departure and activity transition times❑ Spread children out into different areas, particularly at

meal, nap and dressing times❑ Incorporate more individual activities❑ Use visual cues and barriers to promote physical distancing❑ When possible, move activities outdoors

Physical Distancing Measures

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Staffing Considerations:

❑ Staff should work at only one child care location.

❑ Supervisors and/or designates should limit their movement between rooms, doing so only when absolutely necessary.

❑ Supply staff should be assigned a specific cohort.

❑ Staff should separate work clothes for laundering as they could potentially be a source of contamination.

❑ Centre should encourage virtual meetings where possible.

❑ Alter workplace layout by moving furniture or using visual cues such as tape on floor to enhance physical distancing.

❑ Lunchrooms and break rooms must be arranged to follow physical distancing practices.

❑ Consider staggered lunch and break times to reduce number of staff gathering.

Useful Signage

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Additional ResourcesChild Development Resource Connection Peel (CDRCP)

• E-Learning Opportunities

• Public Health Ontario• Tip Sheets

Region of Peel• Masks and Face Coverings• Resource Posters• Translated Resources

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Questions?

Contact Information:Early Years and Child Care ServicesEarlyYearsSystemDivision@peelregion.ca